Eczema—a condition that causes dry, itchy patches of skin—is a bummer to have anywhere on your body. But when you have crusty, flaky rashes on your scalp, it can feel especially bad. I mean, come on: It’s your hair.
Some folks are more likely to experience this specific type of eczema. In the US, Black people get scalp eczema, also called seborrheic dermatitis, far more often than people of other races, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). It affects about 6.5% of African Americans and is one of the most common skin conditions diagnosed in Black people.1
Though seborrheic dermatitis can appear on any part of the body with a lot of oil glands—like underneath and between your eyebrows, on your eyelids, and on the sides of your nose—it’s usually associated with the scalp. The condition is caused by an inflammatory reaction to an overgrowth of Malassezia yeast, which lives on everyone’s skin, according to the National Eczema Association (NEA).
To be clear, the yeast is “not dangerous or an infection, but sometimes things like stress, heat, or oil can cause it to overgrow or cause your immune system to react to it more,” Oyetewa Oyerinde, MD, an assistant professor of dermatology and director of the Skin of Color Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, tells SELF.
If you have scalp eczema, you likely deal with dry, flaky, greasy, or scaly rashes that are relatively (or really, really) itchy. If you are Black, they can look pink, slightly purple, or a bit lighter than the surrounding skin, although you may also have dark spots or patches on your face. Your hair might also look a little greasy or have visible dandruff flakes, Dr. Oyerinde says. Black people can also develop more severe cases called petaloid seborrheic dermatitis, which can cause skin discoloration and lesions around your hairline.
The bad news is that some of the products designed for natural hair could be making your scalp eczema worse. The good news is that you don’t have to choose between good hair days and treating your symptoms. Giving your head some tender loving care can go a long way toward keeping flare-ups to a minimum—just take it from two Black dermatologists who treat people with this condition all the time. Here are their tips.
1. Choose the right shampoo.
If you have scalp eczema, it might be tempting to shampoo more often than you would otherwise. But if you have natural hair, Dr. Oyerinde says you should limit washing to once every one to two weeks (and no more!) or you run the risk of dryness and damage, which can lead to breakage. When you do shampoo, it’s important to use a product designed to clear up yeast or scale buildup. (If it doesn’t outright say it’s for eczema on the label, scan the ingredients list for things like ketoconazole, salicylic acid, selenium sulfide, pyrithione zinc, or tar.) A few shampoos to consider: Royal Oils Moisture Boost Shampoo by Head & Shoulders or As. I. Am. Dry & Itchy Scalp Care Dandruff Shampoo, which you can alternate with Selsun Blue.
WATCHA Dermatologist Explains: Why Getting a Psoriasis Diagnosis Is So Challenging
Most Popular
- ADHDThe ADHD Drug Shortage Could Get Even Worse Thanks to One Telehealth CompanyBy Katie Camero
- AcneHypochlorous Acid Spray Is the Only Thing That Keeps My Acne-Prone Skin Clear in the SummerBy Jenna Ryu
- Mental HealthWhy Being a Perfectionist Is So Bad for Your HealthBy Sarah Klein, CPT
ADVERTISEMENT
Do your best to avoid hair care products with heavy fragrances, alcohol, sulfates, paraben preservatives, and harsh chemicals, Nicole Negbenebor, MD, a dermatologic surgeon and director of the Skin of Color Clinic at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, tells SELF: “These ingredients can irritate the scalp and cause burning, dryness, and inflammation.”
Always use conditioner after washing, Dr. Oyerinde says: “A lot of the shampoos created specifically for dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis tend to be drying, so if you don’t condition afterward, you will have more brittle hair, which can lead to breakage and difficulty retaining length.” Try Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Moisture Renewal Conditioner or Exederm Eczema Care Daily Conditioner.
2. Don’t add extra hair oil.
“We create our own sebum, our own oil, that moisturizes the scalp,” Dr. Oyerinde says. So although you may love your jojoba and castor oil, it’s unnecessary. In fact, the yeast that causes seborrheic dermatitis feeds on them and can grow, which can worsen scalp eczema, Dr. Oyerinde says.
Opt for a water-based moisturizer (and use it on your strands, not your scalp), Dr. Oyerinde says. And don’t use too much: Dr. Negbenebor says a pea- to dime-size dollop for thin hair and a bit more for thick hair should be enough.
3. Go easy on styling products and hot tools.
Try your best to cut back on how often (and how much) you use hair spray, gel, and pomade, as an excess of products on your scalp can lead to flare-ups. And be careful when it comes to high-temperature devices. “Use styling tools with heat sparingly and, if you do, use them at lower temperatures,” Dr. Negbenebor says.
4. Be careful with locs, braids, and weaves.
Hairstyles like braids, cornrows, crochet braids, locs, and weaves all pull at the scalp and cause tension, which can damage your hair follicles.
When it comes to weaves and extensions, “ask your stylist to avoid placing [them] too close to the scalp to reduce irritation,” Dr. Negbenebor says. And make sure they’re not super tight.
If your hair is in locs, avoid too much retwisting to minimize extra tension on your scalp, as Dr. Oyerinde recommends. “Try things like using a gel to tie down as opposed to retwisting every time you feel like your edges are not as laid as you would want them to be,” Dr. Oyerinde says. Then, make sure you (or your loctician) are not palm rolling or interlocking too tightly.
Though keeping to a weekly or biweekly wash schedule is important with scalp eczema, Dr. Oyerinde recognizes that it’s not always realistic with some styles. In an ideal world, for example, you would still wash your braids as often as any other hairstyle, Dr. Oyerinde says—but the reality is, they can get frizzy with too much shampooing. However, she says she always tries to work with her patients to determine what’s realistic for them.
5. Dry your hair gently.
If your hair is especially thick, or if you have braids, a weave, locs, or extensions, use a hooded dryer on a warm setting. If your hair stays damp too long, “that moisture and darkness is the perfect place for yeast to grow, leading to, again, the scaliness and itching,” Dr. Oyerinde says.
6. Try your best not to scratch that itch.
An itchy scalp is annoying and uncomfortable—there’s no way around that! Still, try your best not to dig in too much—the more you scratch, the worse your rashes will feel. Plus, “excessive scratching can lead to bleeding, deep cuts, and eventually infection and worsening eczema,” Dr. Negbenebor says.
Most Popular
- ADHDThe ADHD Drug Shortage Could Get Even Worse Thanks to One Telehealth CompanyBy Katie Camero
- AcneHypochlorous Acid Spray Is the Only Thing That Keeps My Acne-Prone Skin Clear in the SummerBy Jenna Ryu
- Mental HealthWhy Being a Perfectionist Is So Bad for Your HealthBy Sarah Klein, CPT
ADVERTISEMENT
If the urge to claw is insatiable, try a shampoo that contains coal tar or pyrithione zinc, which can help soothe the skin, she says. Applying an ice pack to the itchy area for 5 to 10 minutes whenever the urge strikes can also provide some relief, Dr. Oyerinde adds. (This quick tip can help you resist the urge to scratch too.)
7. Let a pro step in.
A lot of the time, you can find relief from scalp eczema with some tweaks to your washing and styling routine. But if the itching is getting worse or is painful enough to disrupt your everyday life, see a dermatologist ASAP, Dr. Negbenebor says. They can help you land on a stronger treatment plan if the over-the-counter options listed above haven’t helped. That may include a prescription-strength shampoo, ointment, foam, or oral antifungal medication, Dr. Negbenebor says: “We have multiple options to help improve your symptoms.”
Seborrheic dermatitis can be painful, itchy, and super frustrating. But you’re far from alone: A lot of people who deal with this condition get relief with treatment and have way more good hair days than bad—braids, locs, coils, and curls alike.
Sources:
Related:
